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Radiata pine planting stock availability and genetic quality

Radiata pine planting stock availability and genetic quality

Specifications

  • Client: Timbercorp
  • Scope:

    Collation of potential large scale Australian and New Zealand suppliers for improved Radiata pine planting stock including:

    • list of germplasm and nursery suppliers
    • propagule type
    • genetic quality
    • production capacity
    • production timeline requirements
    • relative merits of available genetic quality sources

    (Under sub-contract to MBAC Consulting Group)

  • Challenge:

    Selection of appropriate planting stock is critical for establishment of forest plantations due to the long investment horizon (25 to 35 years). Proven germplasm may be cheapest in the short term, but provide substantially lower yield (and ultimate return) than genetically improved stock. Improved clonal material with potentially higher yield and stem quality is in the early stages of development, but cannot be guaranteed to deliver estimated yield gains. The germplasm selected also interacts with silviculture, further complicating the decision.

  • Solution:

    Verterra applied its detailed knowledge of forest genetics to evaluate the potential risk and return of alternative germplasm sources and levels of genetic improvement to provide a recommendation based on minimising risk and maximising economic return to the client. Potential grade recovery, in addition to simple stem volume yield estimates, was an important consideration.

     
  • Benefit to Client:

    This review provided the client with a plan to enable sourcing of the most appropriate portfolio of genetic material to support a large scale investment program, and to maximise the productivity and quality of the plantation resource.

  • Market Sector: Renewable resources - agriculture, grazing and forestry
  • Capabilities:
    • Forest and fodder crops
    • Tree and crop improvement
    • Project commercial services
  • Location: NSW
  • Year: 2007